Vice President of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation Stella Zakharova said that the organization plans to take action against gymnast Ilya Kovtun, who will change his sports citizenship. His words are quoted by Tribuna.
“In difficult times, Ukraine spent a lot of money on a gymnast and her coach who now fly the flag of another state. “No national team gymnast has spent as much money as he did on Kovtun!” – he said.
January 18, Croatia national team coach Vladimir Madjarevic reportedHe said Kovtun had applied for Croatian citizenship. Kovtun has been living and studying in Osijek for three years. His coach Irina Gorbacheva-Nadyuk also applied for a Croatian passport. According to Madjarevic, Kovtun has already learned the Croatian language.
At the 2024 Olympic Games, the Ukrainian athlete won the silver medal in parallel bars. He became the champion in parallel bars at the 2023 European Championship. At the 2024 European Championships in Rimini, Kovtun helped the Ukrainian team take first place in the team overall. At the same tournament, she won two more gold medals in exercises on the horizontal bar and parallel bars. He won two awards at the world championships, bronze in 2021 and silver in 2023.
Previously ski coach statedThat Russia will not even be allowed to have a neutral status.